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After beating Watford 5-0 on Saturday at Vicarage Road in their latest Premier League outing, Liverpool are back in Champions League action on Tuesday evening with an away clash against Atletico Madrid.

A hat-trick from Roberto Firmino and additional goals from Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah perfectly set up Jurgen Klopp’s side for their latest Champions League match in midweek after winning their opening two group games.

On the chalkboard

One player that wasn’t involved in the game against Watford, that we think should be in the starting XI to face Atletico is midfielder Fabinho, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £180k-per-week according to Spotrac.

The 27-year-old wasn’t in the squad to face Watford as he was involved with Brazil on international duty just a short period before the match against the Hornets, alongside Alisson Becker.

Given that Fabinho has now had time after returning from Brazil duty to get ready for the Atletico match, we feel he should be back in the team as he would presumably be fresher than the midfielders that played against Watford such as James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita.

Taking into account some of Fabinho’s numbers and it’s evident why he deserves to play.

He has managed to rack up an average of 2.5 interceptions per game and 4.5 tackles per game from the two previous Champions League outings he’s played in for Liverpool this season. On top of that, he’s won 73% of all duels he’s been involved in so he could definitely prove himself to be a tough and possibly even terrifying opponent for Atletico’s attacking players. That’s given how Diego Simeone’s side have only managed to score 11 goals in eight La Liga games so far this season.

One in, one out

In terms of who Fabinho could replace in the team, we feel that Klopp should take Keita out of the team given he played 90 minutes against Watford and has struggled with his fitness and numerous injuries in the past. It might be a risk to play him again in midweek, even though he played well against Watford, earning himself an overall match rating of 7.2/10 according to SofaScore.

Looking ahead to the match, whether Klopp decides to start Fabinho, who has been described as “outstanding” by the Reds manager in the past, they will definitely be looking to keep their winning streak in the Champions League going ahead of their big Premier League clash against Manchester United at the weekend.

In other news: Klopp could land perfect Mane heir at Liverpool in “pure class” £22.5m-rated star – opinion

West Ham United would be crazy to not launch a bid for Adam Armstrong amid recent developments…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, Championship side Blackburn Rovers are said to be willing to cash in on the 24-year-old this summer for just £8m due to his current contract status, thus handing the East Londoners a massive boost as that fee is much cheaper than what Rovers were said to looking for just a few weeks ago.

This transfer window represents the final opportunity to make money on his signature as the former Newcastle United graduate is entering the final 12 months of his deal at Ewood Park.

The Hammers also face competition from Premier League rivals Norwich City and Southampton.

Only a month ago, it was thought that Armstrong would command in the region of £25m, as per The Sun.

Crazy not to

If the prolific talisman is indeed available for as little as £8m, then David Moyes and the Irons’ hierarchy would be fools for not wanting to pay that out as soon as possible.

It’s no secret that the 58-year-old needs to bolster his frontline, having contended in the second half of the season with just one senior option – an injury-prone Michail Antonio.

Several targets have been mentioned, including Chelsea outcast Tammy Abraham, but it seems like Moyes isn’t willing to stump up his £40m asking price, which makes a move for Armstrong surely more appealing.

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West Ham legend Frank McAvennie has urged the club to sign Armstrong this summer, he told Football Insider:

“He can make that jump to the Premier League. I want him at West Ham. He could play with or instead of Antonio.  He needs that Premier League chance, look at Jarrod Bowen, look at Bamford. There is talent in the Championship. I really hope West Ham go in for him.”

Indeed, the Irons have to answer his calls.

The diminutive 5 foot 8 dynamo bagged a whopping 29 goals in all competitions this campaign, building on his tally of 17 from a season earlier, via Transfermarkt.

Armstrong isn’t just known for being a goal machine as his manager at both Rovers and former club Coventry City, Tony Mowbray, described him as having “explosive pace” that can create a “devastating effect” when speaking to The Athletic.

Signing the Championship marksman for such a bargain price would allow Moyes to add another centre-forward to the squad or even bolster other areas of the pitch, something that needs to happen with the club competing in the Europa League next season.

The East London side must not live to regret avoiding someone of Armstrong’s quality being available for just £8m, even more so with Transfermarkt valuing him at £14.4m.

It’s time to get that deal done.

AND in other news, Moyes could seal another West Ham transfer bargain amid exciting ExWHUemployee update…

Aston Villa have suffered a major blow after an update on Trezeguet’s injury status.

What’s the story?

The Egypt international suffered knee ligament damage in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, and it was later confirmed by the club that he would undergo surgery.

Dean Smith’s side, however, did not put a timeframe on when he would potentially return to action, and now, Football Insider have delivered a major update from Bodymoor Heath. They claim that the winger has torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and is set to be out for the best part of 12 months.

Villa, of course, are no strangers to seeing a player go down with such a big injury, with Wesley only just returning from his own lengthy lay-off from a serious knee issue.

Dean Smith will be gutted

While Trezeguet hasn’t exactly enjoyed a prolific campaign in the Premier League – he’s managed just two goals and one assist in the top-flight – news of his lengthy injury will surely have Smith gutted.

The Villa boss started the Egyptian in the opening couple of months of the campaign before an injury in December stalled his progress. Since then, Trezeguet has had to work hard to get back into the starting line-up, and he had managed to do so before the injury against Liverpool.

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It robs Smith of a key first-team player and someone who offers vital squad depth in those wide positions, and it now remains to be seen whether Villa feel they now need an extra body in the summer to compensate.

What is for sure is that this latest update on Trezeguet is a major blow to Villa.

Meanwhile, Villa must start this star who “Jack Grealish loves”…

Tottenham are reportedly willing to sell Leeds-linked defender Joe Rodon this summer.

The Lowdown: Leeds interest

Rodon, labelled as ‘flawless’ and ‘special’ in a Wales shirt by journalist Ian Mitchelmore, was linked with a move to Elland Road in the January window.

Victor Orta and co. were keen on his services in a potential loan deal alongside Newcastle, however, the Wales international remained in north London.

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Antonio Conte is yet to use the 24-year-old in the Premier League, and it looks as if a Spurs exit will be discussed once again over the coming months given he is so far down the pecking order.

The Latest: Rodon update

TEAMtalk relayed an update from The Telegraph, suggesting that Conte is willing to green-light an exit for the centre-back this summer.

Their report claims that Leeds and Newcastle are once again on alert regarding the Wales centre-back and both could be interested in a summer swoop.

The Verdict: Orta target?

Jesse Marsch currently has five centre-back options, however, he has taken over the league’s leakiest defence and is thought to be planning a defensive overhaul.

Robin Koch has been linked with an exit in recent weeks, so should he depart this summer, a new centre-back would more than likely be on his radar.

Orta clearly wants Rodon at Elland Road given the interest under two different managers, so a move could be one to keep a close eye on, providing Leeds remain in the Premier League.

In other news: Approach made: 49ers and Radz now in exit talks with club for ‘awful’ Leeds defender. 

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer believes Roy Keane would find it difficult to be a success at Celtic.

The Glasgow club are, of course, searching for a new manager following Neil Lennon’s exit from Celtic Park last month, and Keane is one name currently being linked with the vacancy.

According to The Sun, the ex-Manchester United captain is keen on the job and would accept a proposal if offered. Palmer, however, is not convinced by the idea, concerned about Keane’s combative personality.

When asked whether appointing the former Celtic player would be a smart move, the retired England international told FFC:

“It’s a difficult one for me about Roy because the way Roy comes across, I just don’t see how he can be a successful manager. You can’t manage being the way that he is, so critical of everybody and he always seems to fall into that same kind of category all the time.”

Explaining further, Palmer went on to say: “When you want to get the best out of the players, you can’t keep criticising them, you can’t. [Jose] Mourinho’s found that out. You can’t publicly criticise the players because the players will throw you under the bus these days.”

With Keane having not managed a club since departing Ipswich Town 10 years ago, appointing the 49-year-old would be a bold move. And from Keane’s perspective, it would be a huge challenge.

Celtic have fallen miles behind Rangers this season, easily surrendering their SPFL title to their great rivals and missing out on ten in a row in the process. The Bhoys also endured a very poor campaign in Europe as they finished rock bottom of their Europa League group, showing the kind of rebuilding job the ex-Ipswich and Sunderland manager would have on his hands.

A major update has emerged about Spanish international Aymeric Laporte, regarding his future at Manchester City.

What’s the talk?

According to AS, Manchester City are not prepared to cash in on Aymeric Laporte this summer. The report claims that Pep Guardiola wants to keep Laporte at the club to compete with Ruben Dias and John Stones for a place in his starting XI.

Earlier this month, Spanish outlet Sport reported that City and Barcelona were in talks over a potential deal for Laporte. Barcelona were said to be keen on bringing Laporte back to Spain and City were seemingly open to working out a solution.

Back in January, City boss Guardiola claimed Laporte has “special quality” with the ball at his feet, but admitted that it is down to his preparation and attitude in regards to whether he plays or not. He told The Guardian:

“It depends on him, the quality is there.

“[He has to] be in top form and have his mind open. He’s the best left-sided defender [we have], he has special quality with the ball. He has to be focused to come back in the best condition possible and he will get his minutes. After, it depends on his performance like it depends on the form of everyone.”

Fans will be buzzing

Manchester City fans will be buzzing with this news as it means that the club will avoid making a major error this summer. It was only two years ago that Laporte was named in the PFA Team of the Year for his performances at centre-back and it was only a couple of months ago that Laporte was scoring the winner in the League Cup final for City against Tottenham at Wembley. He has proven his quality throughout his time in England and it would have been a mistake for the club to sell him to Barcelona.

In 75 Premier League appearances for Manchester City, Laporte has only been on the losing side eight times. City only conceded 41 times and kept 32 clean sheets in those 75 games, whilst Laporte has made zero errors leading to goals. This is a reminder of the impact he can have and why City are making the right call by keeping him at The Etihad heading into next season.

The 27-year-old beast can now provide Stones and Dias with quality competition for places in the 2021/22 campaign for City. This will, hopefully, help all three defenders to progress as they spur each other on to keep improving in order to maintain their place in the team, or win it back.

It also means that Guardiola will not be left with inadequate replacements if either Dias or Stones needs to drop out of the side due to rest, injury or suspension. This is why fans will be delighted that Laporte will seemingly still be a City player beyond the end of the transfer window.

AND in other news, Txiki should seal Man City swoop for £31.5m-rated beast after “amazing” Euro display…

Celtic are allegedly lining up a swoop for Torino midfielder Sasa Lukic as they look to strengthen their midfield ahead of the new season [Celtic Now and Forever].

The Lowdown: Celtic begin to build towards the 2021/22 campaign

With pre-season fast approaching, the Parkhead hierarchy will be desperate to make some quality additions in order to try and reclaim the Premiership title from their Glasgow arch-rivals in 2021/22.

Already making tracks in the summer window, the Bhoys have tied up deals for highly-rated youngster Joey Dawson and former Sheffield Wednesday defender Liam Shaw [Glasgow Live].

Just over three weeks away from a crucial Champions League qualifier against Danish side FC Midtjylland, could the Hoops now be ready to pull off a major transfer coup?

The Latest: Celtic lining up ambitious £6m Lukic swoop

Celtic are said to be interested in Lukic, who wants to leave Torino, and the Hoops are keen to make an offer of around £6m for his signature [Celtic Now and Forever].

The 24-year-old wishes to depart his current employers, whilst his representative agency Friends and Football International stated: “There have been a number of clubs who have contacted our client’s club and discussions are ongoing but no bids have been made as of yet” [Celtic Now and Forever].

Tottenham and Crystal Palace have also been reported admirers of the former Levante anchorman in recent months.

The Verdict: Lukic would be a statement signing at Celtic Park

Lukic would be regarded as something of a statement signing at Celtic under the stewardship of new manager Ange Postecoglou.

In desperate need of fresh impetus, his ability to progress the ball in a stylish manner could prove to be a very purposeful function for the Hoops. In 2020/21, the Serbian international made 34 appearances for Torino, registering four goal contributions with three goals and one assist [Transfermarkt].

Plying his trade for a relegation-threatened outfit last term, he showed his propensity with his ball retention, recording an 81% pass accuracy across the campaign [WhoScored].

Likely to be afforded more time on the ball in Scottish football against low-block defences, Lukic Could become a real asset for Celtic should a move materialise, and it’s one the Hoops should certainly look to pursue.

In other news, Ange Postecoglou has given the go-ahead to a potential first signing.

Patrick Bamford should be dropped for Leeds United’s Premier League clash with Manchester City, according to Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side make the trip to Etihad on Saturday lunchtime, in what represents a huge test for the Whites.

Leeds currently sit 11th in the table after a good season back in the top flight, but they will want to finish the campaign in strong fashion.

Bielsa has a few selection issues ahead of the game, with Bamford’s form dipping of late, having scored just once in his last five appearances.

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Agbonlahor tips Bamford to be dropped

Someone who thinks the striker should be left out of the stating lineup this weekend is Agbonlahor, who told Football Insider about his reasoning behind the decision:

“He looks tired for me, he looked very tired coming off. He wasn’t energetic. He looked disappointed coming off but I think it was the right decision.

“Rodrigo looked like he had a lot of energy. Maybe it’s time for Bamford to have a little rest on the bench and let Rodrigo play against Manchester City.

“You cannot play every game of the season. You do need a rest, especially when you’re over the age of 25. Maybe it’s something Bielsa does and he maybe just needs to give his team a little bit of a rest and rotate some players.”

Transfer Tavern take

It would be a shock to see Bamford axed, considering he has scored 14 league goals in 30 appearances, while Rodrigo has just three in 21, struggling to find his feet in England.

There are signs of him looking fatigued of late, and considering the workload that Leeds’ players will have to put in against a relentless City side, it could be that Rodrigo is a fresher option, but we find it hard to believe Bielsa will drop his star man for the toughest test they’ve faced so far.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with a midfielder who has been on fire in another European league this season. Find out who it is here.

Celtic’s transfer plans will be dictated by a variety of different events and scenarios.

The Hoops will firstly need to appoint a new manager and they will have to patiently wait to see how the futures of Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer develop.

Two of Parkhead’s most sellable assets, the funds the Bhoys receive will dictate how much they can spend on replacements.

What’s the word?

Unfortunately, Celtic’s plan to replace Edouard could already be in tatters and it’s through no fault of their own.

One player the club and Eddie Howe were interested in, and were planning to bring into Paradise this summer was Josh King.

The Norwegian is currently at Everton after moving from Bournemouth back in January. He signed a six month deal with the Toffees that expires this summer, meaning he’ll be available on a free transfer.

That sounds like good news but Celtic isn’t King’s only suitor. According to Football Insider, Norwich are now chasing the striker ahead of a summer move.

The report states that Turkish clubs Fenerbahce and Galatasaray also want to sign the 29-year-old.

Celtic in a mess

This doesn’t only represent a blow for the club but it’s also a setback for incoming manager, Howe.

The 43-year-old is close to sealing a move to Parkhead but until he arrives, it would be foolish of Celtic to finalise moves in the transfer market.

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The longer the wait goes on, the more feasible it becomes that King will end up elsewhere. At the moment, he is free to discuss terms with foreign clubs and thus, he could already be in talks with other suitors beyond Celtic.

Considering the Hoops have no manager and no director of football, it’s unlikely the forward would be too sold on the uncertainty at Parkhead.

Therefore, the quicker Howe arrives, the sooner they can begin negotiations for new recruits.

If King decides to move to East Anglia or Turkey, it would be a massive blow for Howe before he’s even walked through the door.

That’s because the former Bournemouth striker is one of his most trusted performers.

The duo worked together on the south coast where they developed a fabulous understanding of they both worked.

King has made 170 appearances under the Englishman, racking up an impressive tally of 50 strikes; that’s a record of a goal every 3.4 matches.

Should Celtic end up missing out on the striker they will only have themselves to blame.

If Dermot Desmond had been swifter in his search for a new manager and bowed down to Howe’s demands, he may already be through the door and talking to potential new recruits. At the time of writing, that isn’t possible.

Consequently, they are likely to be further behind in negotiations with his agent. Celtic’s initial transfer plans appear to be in big doubt here which could throw a spanner in the works for Howe before he’s even taken the job.

Howe’s plans to sign a player who knows his methods and his systems well and use him at Celtic could already be in tatters.

AND in other news, Forget Howe: McKay could rescue Celtic by hiring “outstanding” 63 y/o manager…

Writing for football.london, reliable Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has dropped a behind-the-scenes reveal surrounding those within the club and Moussa Sissoko’s summer exit from north London.

The Lowdown: Spurs mass summer exodus…

In quite an eventful summer transfer window, there were absolutely no shortage of departures from Tottenham as new boss Nuno Espirito Santo and managing director Fabio Paratici undertook a major rebuild.

Indeed, Juan Foyth, Toby Alderweireld, Joe Hart, Danny Rose, Paulo Gazzaniga, Erik Lamela, Serge Aurier and Sissoko all left the club permanently in what you could deem to be a successful clear out (Transfermarkt).

However, Gold has revealed that those within Spurs were left unhappy over one gaffe surrounding the latter man’s move to Watford.

The Latest: Spurs chiefs left seething over Sissoko exit gaffe…

As per the reliable journalist, there were ‘shocked’ and a ‘few angry’ faces inside Spurs when it was announced that the Frenchman was in Xisco’s starting line up to face his old club at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Apparently, Tottenham’s football administration department assumed Sissoko was not registered in time to face Spurs due to the timing of the deadline – but Watford somehow managed to complete his registration in time to make him eligible for the encounter.

The 32-year-old’s inclusion, therefore, ‘annoyed a number of people’ within the club given it is quite rare that a seller would allow a transfer to go through in time to aid the buyer’s efforts against them.

The Verdict: Interesting claim…

While Sissoko’s contribution didn’t amount to much at the weekend, you can understand why Spurs chiefs weren’t happy with his allowed involvement at the time – especially considering how players can often hurt their old sides.

One interesting aspect of this story is how Watford managed to play the midfielder given new signings must be registered by 12pm on the last working day before a match for eligibility.

As explained by Gold, that deadline was midday last Friday, with The Hornets seemingly unable to officially sign Sissoko until much later that same afternoon.

In full credit to Watford, they somehow managed to get him registered before 12pm even though the full transfer had not been announced at that point.

In other news: Report lifts lid on Tottenham player’s summer exit U-turn, find out more here.